New Book Looks at Mario Batali’s ‘Animalistic’ Partying

The Times looks at Antoni Porowksi’s Brooklyn apartment

In a profile of Queer Eye’s resident food guy Antoni Porowski, the Times visits his Brooklyn apartment as he makes a “minimalist spaghetti and meatballs” and addresses his controversial guacamole. The verdict? He really can cook. Porowski lives with his boyfriend of seven years in a Clinton Hill studio where portraits of Bob Dylan, James Dean, and Lana Del Rey grace the walls. Since the place is too small for a dog, Porowski instead decorates his fridge with corgi magnets.

Restaurant critic looks at Mario Batali’s early days

The Post’s Steve Cuozzo takes a look at a new book from Andrew Friedman that touches on Mario Batali’s time at Blue Ribbon Brasserie. Chefs, Drugs and Rock & Roll covers modern American cuisine from the early 1970s through the early 1990s, and while Friedman doesn’t explicitly tackle the sexual misconduct allegations against Batali, he does describe the “animalistic” after-hours party culture Batali took part in during his early days in New York. Friedman wrote the book before the allegations came out against Batali, and he told the Post he wishes he had dug deeper.

New cafes downtown

A coffee shop called Grand Daddy just opened at 290 Grand St. and Eldridge Street, serving pastries, while Moroccan-style coffee shop Pause Cafe has expanded with a new larger location near its original Clinton Street location, where it has lived for seven years.

More coming attractions

Signage has gone up for the upcoming Chelsea Thai, set to open this spring at 192-194 First Ave., between 11th and 12th streets. Chelsea Thai closed its long-running location in the Chelsea Market earlier this year. Staten Island-based pizzeria Joe and Pat’s is expanding to Manhattan with a location at 168 First Ave., between 10th and 11th streets. It’s set to open in three weeks.

Ramen dinner at The Wythe Hotel

Reynard chef Christina Lecki is collaborating with the Oakland-based Ramen Shop for a three course dinner. Ramen options include a beef ramens with smoked brisket and braised short ribs as well as a veggie shoyu option with lemon, roasted butternut squash, and brussels sprouts. Tickets can be purchased on Resy and are $50.

A night of Cajun-Austrian food

Markus Glocker, chef at the one Michelin-starred Batard, is teaming up with New Orleans-based chef Isaac Toups for a five-course dinner event. Toups is the chef/owner of Toups Meatery and Toups South in New Orleans. The menu prepared by Glocker and Toups will blend their respective cuisines for a Cajun- and Austrian-influenced dinner. The dinner is taking place on March 14th and 15th, starting at 6:30 p.m. each night, and costs $180 per person. Tickets can be purchased here. For more Cajun fusion food, check out this video: